Mounting apparatus for fan

ABSTRACT

A mounting apparatus includes a first mounting member and a second mounting member. The first mounting member includes a base plate and two side plates extending from opposite sides of the base plate. The second mounting member includes a main body and two sidewalls extending from opposite sides of the main body. The side plates of the first mounting member are lockable to the sidewalls of the second mounting member or the main body of the second mounting member.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a mounting apparatus for a fan.

2. Description of Related Art

With the continuing development of electronic technology, electronic devices, such as computers, generate more heat during operation than previously. The heat needs to be dissipated as quickly as possible. A common method for dissipating the heat is to use a fan to generate airflow to dissipate heat for a computer. Usually, the fan is mounded in a mounting apparatus to form a fan module to be mounted in the computer. However, different thicknesses of the fans need different mounting apparatuses, while there is no universal mounting apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a mounting apparatus.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but viewed from another perspective.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are assembled, isometric views of FIG. 1, and showing different use states of the mounting apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a mounting apparatus is provided to selectively mount a first fan 100 or a second fan 200 with different thicknesses. The mounting apparatus includes a first mounting member 10, a second mounting member 20, a bracket 30, and a locking member 40.

The first fan 100 includes two mounting surfaces each defines four mounting holes 102 in four corners. A thickness of the second fan 200 is greater than a thickness of the first fan 100. In this embodiment, the second fan 200 is made by stacking two first fans 100.

The first mounting member 10 is substantially U-shaped and includes a rectangular base plate 12, and two side plates 14 substantially perpendicularly extending from two opposite sides of the base plate 12. The base plate 12 defines a vent portion 121 in a center of the base plate 12. Four mounting posts 123 extend from four corners of an inner surface of the base plate 12. Two substantially L-shaped first latching portions 125 and two second latching portions 127 respectively extend from four corners of an outer surface of the base plate 12. Each second latching portion 127 includes a head and a neck connected between the head and the base plate 12. Two spaced hooks 142 and two spaced blocks 144 are formed from a distal end of each side plate 14, opposite to the base plate 12.

The second mounting member 20 is substantially U-shaped and includes a rectangular main body 22, and two sidewalls 24 substantially perpendicularly extending from two first opposite sides of the main body 22. The main body 22 defines a vent portion 221 in a center of the main body 22. Four mounting posts 223 extend from four corners of an inner surface of the main body 22. Two spaced locking holes 244 and two spaced positioning notches 242 are defined in a distal end of each sidewall 24, opposite to the main body 24. Two cutouts 227 are defined in each of two opposite second sides 225 of the main body 22 substantially connected between corresponding ends of the first sides of the main body 22.

The bracket 30 is substantially U-shaped and includes a rectangular main wall 32, a first sidewall 34 and a second sidewall 36 substantially perpendicularly extending from two opposite sides of the main wall 32. The main wall 32 defines a vent portion (not labeled) in a center of the main wall 32. The main wall 32 defines two first locking holes 323 adjacent to the first sidewall 34 and two second locking holes 325 adjacent to the second sidewall 36. Each first locking hole 323 includes a wide portion 3232 extending to the first sidewall 34, and a narrow portion 3234 communicating with the wide portion 3232 and facing the second sidewall 36. Each second locking hole 325 includes a wide portion 3252 facing the first sidewall 34, and a narrow portion 3254 communicating with the wide portion 3252 and facing the second sidewall 36. The first sidewall 34 defines two spaced through holes 342. Two substantially L-shaped retaining portions 344 extend down from a distal end of the first sidewall 34, opposite to the first sidewall 34.

The locking member 40 includes two locking portions 42 and a wavy resilient portion 44 connected between the locking portions 42. Each locking portion 42 defines a substantially U-shaped through slot to form a resilient tongue portion 46. A limiting portion 462 protrudes on a distal end of each tongue portion 46. An operation portion 48 extends from each locking portion 42 adjacent to the resilient portion 44.

Referring to FIG. 3, in assembling the first fan 100, the fan 100 is received in the first mounting member 10, with two opposite lateral surfaces of the first fan 100 sandwiched between the side plates 14. The mounting posts 123 of the first mounting member 10 engage in the mounting holes 102 of one side of the first fan 100. The second mounting member 20 is attached to the other side of the first fan 100, with the other two opposite lateral surfaces of the first fan 100 sandwiched between the sidewalls 24 of the second mounting member 20. The blocks 144 of the side plates 14 of the first mounting member 10 engage in the cutouts 227 of the second mounting member 20 respectively. The hooks 142 of the side plates 14 of the first mounting member 10 are locked to the second sides 225 of the second mounting member 20. The mounting posts 223 of the second mounting member 20 engage in the mounting holes 102 of the other side of the first fan 100. Therefore the first fan 100 is fixed and sandwiched between the first and second mounting members 10 and 20.

When mounting the first mounting member 10 together with the first fan 100 to the bracket 30, the first latching portions 125 of the first mounting member 10 enter the wide portions 3232 of the first locking holes 323, and the second latching portions 127 of the first mounting member 10 enter the wide portions 3252 of the second locking holes 325. The first mounting member 10 is then moved down relative to the bracket 30, the first latching portions 125 engage in the narrow portions 3234 of the first locking holes 323, and the second latching portions 127 engage in the narrow portions 3254 of the second locking holes 325. The locking portions 42 of the locking member 40 are received between the retaining portions 344 and the first sidewall 34 of the bracket 30, respectively. The limiting portions 462 of the locking member 40 are movably received in the through holes 342 of the bracket 30. The locking portions 42 are respectively positioned between the first latching portions 125 and the first sidewall 34, and resist against the first latching portions 125 to avoid the first latching portions 125 moving out of the first locking holes 323.

When to release the first mounting member 10 from the bracket 30, the operation portions 48 of the locking member 40 are pressed toward each other to compress the resilient portion 44, until the locking portions 42 disengage from the first latching portions 125 of the first mounting member 10. The first mounting member 10 then can be moved up relative to the bracket 30 to release from the bracket 30.

Referring to FIG. 4, in assembling the second fan 200, the fan 200 is received in the first mounting member 10, with two opposite lateral surfaces of the second fan 200 adjacent to a first side of the fan 100 sandwiched between the side plates 14. The mounting posts 123 of the first mounting member 10 engage in the mounting holes 102 of the first side of the first fan 100. The second mounting member 20 is rotated 90 degrees to be attached to the fan 200, with the sidewalls 24 of the second mounting member 20 sandwiching the lateral surfaces of the second fan 200 adjacent to a second side of the fan 100. The blocks 144 of the side plates 14 of the first mounting member 10 engage in the positioning notches 242 of the second mounting member 20 respectively. The hooks 142 of the side plates 14 of the first mounting member 10 are locked to the locking holes 244 of the second mounting member 20. The mounting posts 223 of the second mounting member 20 engage in the mounting holes 102 of a second side of the first fan 100. Therefore the second fan 200 is fixed and sandwiched between the first and second mounting members 10 and 20. The method for fixing the first mounting member 10 together with the second fan 200 to the bracket 30 is same as the above description.

In this embodiment, the first mounting member 10 can be mounted to the second mounting member 20 to fix the first fan 100, and mounted to the second mounting member 10 after rotated 90 degrees to fix the second fan 200.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the present disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A mounting apparatus for a first fan or a second fan witch different sizes, the mounting apparatus comprising: a first mounting member comprising a base plate and two side plates extending from opposite sides of the base plate; and a second mounting member comprising a main body and two sidewalls extending from opposite first sides of the main body; wherein the side plates of the first mounting member are lockable to the sidewalls of the second mounting member or opposite second sides of the main body of the second mounting member connected between corresponding ends of the first sides of the main body, thereby respectively fixing the first fan or the second fan between the first and second mounting members.
 2. The mounting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bracket fixed to the first mounting member and a locking member movably attached to the bracket for locking the first mounting member to the bracket.
 3. The mounting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bracket comprises a main wall and a side wall extending from the main wall, the main wall defines a plurality of locking holes, the base plate of the first mounting member defines a plurality of latching portions to be locked in the plurality of locking holes of the bracket, the locking member is attached to the side wall of the bracket to resist against the latching portions.
 4. The mounting apparatus of claim 3, wherein two substantially L-shaped retaining portions are formed from the side wall of the bracket, the locking member comprises two locking portions respectively held by the retaining portions, and a resilient portion connected between the locking portions.
 5. The mounting apparatus of claim 4, wherein the side wall of the bracket defines two through holes, a limiting portion protrudes on each of the locking portions of the locking member, the limiting portions are slidably engaged in the through holes of the side wall of the bracket.
 6. The mounting apparatus of claim 1, wherein two spaced hooks are formed from a distal end of each of the side plates of the first mounting member opposite to the base plate, two spaced locking holes are defined in a distal end of each of the sidewalls of the second mounting member opposite to the main body, the hooks of the first mounting member are lockable to the locking holes of the second mounting member.
 7. The mounting apparatus of claim 6, wherein two spaced blocks are formed from the distal end of each of the side plates of the first mounting member, two spaced positioning notches are defined in the distal end of each of the sidewalls of the second mounting member, the blocks of the first mounting member are engagable in the positioning notches of the second mounting member. 